1. Field of the invention
The device of this invention is intended for use by therapists, doctors, nurses, trained medical personnel and/or patients after training by a therapist.
Rehabilitation training of hands is necessary and in most cases restores hands to useful function. The device is particularly adapted for hands hampered by arthritis, reimplantation of fingers, stiff fingers, weak musculature conditions, shortened tendons and many other hand deficiencies or deformities well known in the medical profession.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Prior patents generally disclose relatively small hand held devices which increase the dexterity of fingers by manipulating the device, or are directed toward glove-like devices which receive the hand, fingers and thumb wherein the fingers and thumb are biased to close or biased straight in opposition to the condition of the hand. Another generally well known hand and finger exerciser, generally known as a "finger crutch", comprises a generally rectangular section of semi-resilient material, having end recesses defining a Y-shape at each end of the device, and when upright supports one or more digits for passive or resistive flexion of the fingers and exercising the joints thereof.
While the devices disclosed by prior patents, and the above described finger crutch are generally satisfactory, they offer only limited rehabilitation features for many conditions of hand impairment.
This invention is distinctive over the above described prior art devices by forming a disk-like member provided with recesses in its periphery, and at least one aperture for the thumb for individually or simultaneously exercising or manipulating all digits of a patient's hand, and strengthing the muscles and tendons thereof.